General Production Information

● Wild rice production began in the 1970s in California. Production peaked with approximately 15,000 acres in 1986 (1). ● In 1997, there were 11,780 acres of wild rice in California that yielded 0.75 tons per acre of green wild rice and 0.375 tons of finished product (ready for consumption) (5). ● The 1997 acreage produced 8,835 tons of green rice and 4,417.5 tons of finished product with a farm value of $12,810,750 (2). The cultural management practices of wild rice, Zizania sp., are largely based on the production of rice, Oryza sativa. Although both species are annual cereals, wild rice grows taller, is cross-pollinated, and seeds are much thinner and ripen unevenly. In addition, the growth patterns are different and wild rice seed cannot be dry stored and retain viability. Wild rice seed must be stored in water under refrigerated conditions from harvest to planting time. The seed also shatters easily at harvest. California wild rice is grown under a Mediterranean climate characterized by warm, dry, clear days, and a long growing season. Wild rice is grown mostly on fine-textured, poorly drained soils with impervious hardpans or claypans. These soils are well suited to wild rice production, since their low water permeability enhances water use efficiency. Most of the irrigation water for California wild rice come